Melissani Lake and beach tour, reviewed
The lake and a swim, for people who do not want a second cave. 4.4 from 196 ratings, and the reviews say what the four-star ratings are about and what the five-star ones are. The Melissani ticket is included; Drogarati is not on the route; after the boat comes the Myrtos viewpoint and then about an hour and a half at Makris Gialos beach under umbrellas the tour provides. The umbrellas are the recurring compliment, and one reviewer’s did not fit the pole.
Going without a car?Every tour here picks you up in Argostoli and cancels free up to 24 hours before. Reserve the date now, decide later.
Check tour availabilityWhat the listing itself says
Included, as the listing writes it
- Port or hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Transportation by air-conditioned coach
- Local guide
- Entrance fees for Melissani Lake
- Swim stop at Makris Yialos Beach
- Beach umbrellas provided by the tour operator
Not included, as the listing writes it
- Food and drinks
- Sunbeds (subject to availability and paid on-site)
The Melissani entrance fee is in the price, which makes this the second of two listings on this site with a cave ticket included. Sunbeds are not: the umbrellas come from the tour, the beds are paid on site if there are any. The notes say plainly that there is no Drogarati on this one, that the boat is shared, that there is some walking and steps, that the order of visits may change with traffic, weather and cruise schedules, and that July and August multi-ship days mean long queues at the caves. Whether you will miss Drogarati.
What reviewers found
The written reviews are from June and July 2026. The wait at the lake runs from none to long across them, and the beach is what people write home about.
On the way there, we saw a lot of the very green landscape of Kefalonia. Lake Melissa with a cave is a highlight. 20 minutes waiting in line. Mirtos Beach is very beautiful from above. We couldn't swim there because of a rock slide. Instead, we went to the most beautiful beach in Argotosli, Makris Gialos. A tour that offers the maximum if you are only there for one day on a cruise tour.
Good time slot at Lake Melissani; no waiting time. Sun umbrellas for Myrtos Beach in stock. Simply great. Eva is a great guide
Myrtos beach is fantastic. Lake Melissani is also worth a visit. The only thing to note about the beach umbrellas provided: our umbrella didn't fit on the pole, so we couldn't use it.
Two things to take from these. First, the queue varies more on this listing than on any other here: Silke and Jürgen had no wait in June, Karl twenty minutes in late July, and Sabine, five stars, wrote of a “It was a nice excursion, long wait at the grotto, very nice beach” Second, reviewers write about Myrtos as if it were the swimming beach, and Karl describes going to Makris Gialos instead after a rock slide at Myrtos. The listing route is the Myrtos viewpoint for photos and Makris Gialos for the swim, so read the day as the listing writes it and treat anything more as a bonus. George gives the practical note: the beach he swam at had a lot of pebbles and rocks on shore, the umbrellas were provided, and there were no restaurants there, so eat at the little store near the lake. Giulia took a 20-month-old and “We had our 20-month-old baby with us and there were no problems”
Verdict
Book it if you want the boat at Melissani and a swim in the same half day and have no interest in a second cave. The ticket is in the price, the umbrellas are real, and the beach is the part people remember. It is not the tour for Drogarati, and not the tour for a guaranteed short queue: reviewers report everything from no wait to a long one.
Who it suits
- Cruise passengers who want a swim: a reviewer called it the maximum for one day off a ship
- Anyone who has done Drogarati before, or does not want 150 more steps
- Families: a 20-month-old and a four-year-old both appear in the reviews across these listings
- Anyone who would rather pay the Melissani ticket once, in the fare
Who it does not suit
- Anyone who wants both caves: this route has no Drogarati
- Anyone who wants Myrtos itself as the beach: it is a viewpoint stop on the listing
- Anyone who wants a sunbed included: they are paid on site
Other tours to consider
Both caves with both tickets included is the flagship. Both caves and a swim at Myrtos or Antisamos in a van from the cruise terminal is the small-group tour. A swim at Myrtos with your own driver is the private tour.
Entry fees includedBoth cave tickets includedFrom Argostoli: Melissani Lake & Drogarati Caves Tour
Small groupKefalonia: Melissani, Drogarati & Beach Small-Group Tour
PrivateKefalonia: Private Tour The Caves & Myrtos Beach
Frequently asked questions
Does the Melissani and beach tour include the cave ticket?
Yes, the Melissani entrance fee is on its inclusion list. Drogarati is not on the route, so there is no second fee. The only other listing with a ticket included is the flagship, which covers both caves.
Which beach does the tour swim at?
Makris Gialos, on the Argostoli side, for about an hour and a half, with umbrellas provided by the tour and sunbeds paid on site if available. Myrtos is a viewpoint photo stop on this route. Beaches near the cave, with distances.
Why is this tour rated 4.4 when the others are higher?
The written reviews are five stars almost without exception; the lower average sits in the ratings without text. What the written ones flag is a wait at the lake that ran from none to long, an umbrella that did not fit its pole, and a pebbly shore. Whether the visit is worth the queue.
How long is the wait at Melissani on this tour?
Reviewers in June 2026 reported no waiting time; one in late July reported twenty minutes; one called it a long wait. The listing says July and August days with several ships in port are the busy ones. The hours when the queue is shortest.